Velvet Hand
by Settiai
Summary: Gwen didn't know why she felt so cold. :: Gwen/Ianto/Jack


In the end, after he and Ianto had finished placing Suzie's body in the morgue once again, Jack told them all to go home early. "It's been one hell of a day," he said, shooting a pointed look at Gwen. "Get out of here and go enjoy life. You've earned it."

They all smiled and nodded, and it was obvious that they planned on taking him up on his offer _after_ they finished up the work they were currently doing. When it became apparent that they weren't actually listening to him, Jack added more forcefully: "Seriously, go home. I want you all out of here in five minutes, and I don't want any of you to even think about anything work-related until morning."

Considering the tone in his voice, none of them argued with him. They just said their goodbyes and got ready to leave. Toshiko packed up her things, nodded at him, and slipped out the door, obviously planning on finishing whatever she was working on at home, no matter what Jack had just told them. Owen shrugged and headed for the door, pausing there to wait for Gwen as she gave Jack a weak smile and walked out as well.

"Coming back to my place?" he asked under his breath, raising an eyebrow as Gwen stepped onto the lift with him.

_The glove was heavier than she had expected._

She paused for a moment, a thoughtful look on her face, before shaking her head. "Not tonight, I don't think," she said slowly. "I need . . . I'm not sure what I need."

"You need a good shag," he replied with a cheeky grin, quickly holding up his hands in a gesture of peace when she shot him an annoyed look. "Not with me. With what's-his-name. The bloke who lives with you. Or is it you who lives with him?"

Gwen rolled her eyes and swatted Owen on the shoulder. "We live together," she muttered as they started across the parking lot toward their cars. "And you know bloody well that his name is Rhys."

Near them, someone let out a quiet laugh. "He likes pretending to forget things so that it makes it seem all the more impressive when he starts rambling off important facts."

Both of them turned at the sound of Toshiko's voice, and she waved at them from where she was standing beside her car. "Are the two of you off then?" she asked, just a hint of disappointment in her voice. "I was going to see if either of you was interested in going out for a drink."

"Gwen's on her way home," Owen said, answering her before Gwen even had a chance to speak. "Going to spend some quality time and all that with Rhys. But I won't turn down a couple of drinks."

_The rush she got from using the glove was much more seductive than she had anticipated._

Gwen started to protest, but she stopped herself when she saw the way Tosh's eyes lit up. "That's right," she agreed, forcing herself to smile. "I'm going on home, but don't let that stop the two of you from having some fun."

Owen shot her a casual grin, but Gwen could see the hint of worry in his eyes as he quickly ran his gaze over her. "I'm fine," Gwen said, rolling her eyes as she reached out and pushed Owen toward Tosh. "Go on, you two, have some fun."

Now that she was looking, Gwen could see a hint of worry in Tosh's eyes as well. After everything that had happened, though, she couldn't blame them. The past few days had been hard on all of them. "I mean it," she repeated firmly, "go on. I'll be fine."

Apparently reassured by the smile on her face, the two of them finally nodded and started toward Owen's car. They both glanced back at her again as they got in, but she just raised an eyebrow and kept smiling. Tosh smiled back and gave her a small wave before shutting the door, while Owen just nodded.

Once they were out of sight, Gwen sighed and let her forced smile disappear. It was her own fault for letting them think that Rhys would be waiting for her back at home. She knew that she could have just told them that he was out of town for the week, doing something for work that she hadn't really understood since she had only been half-listening, and they would have invited her to go along with them.

But then she would have had to explain to Owen why she hadn't wanted to go back to his place for a quick fuck, and that was something that she didn't want to think about right then. Not until she had some time to think about a lot of things.

And she didn't really want to think tonight.

Gwen closed her eyes and took a deep breath, clenching her fist as she did. She could practically feel the weight of the glove on her hand, sense the rush of power flooding out of her and into someone else, see Suzie's face as she smiled. . .

_Gwen, behind you!_

Her eyes shot open in an instant as Suzie's voice echoed through his mind, and she shivered. She didn't know why she felt so cold. Her skin was warm, she was certain of that. Despite that, she still felt as if she was freezing.

Like she was as cold as death.

Gwen frowned, and she unconsciously bit her lip. It was going to be a long night.

Shaking her head, Gwen made her way over to her own car. She reached into her purse, fumbling around for her keys. Then she froze. "Damn," she muttered.

The drive back from the coastline had been fairly uneventful. She had ridden in the van with Owen, though he had made her lie down in the backseat the entire way. Since she had been on the brink of death just a few minutes earlier, she hadn't argued much when he insisted.

As for Jack, he had driven her car back to the Hub, but he had never given her back the keys.

With a sigh, Gwen reached up to rub her aching temple and turned back toward the building she had just left. She knew that Jack was still in there, and—now that she thought about it—she hadn't noticed Ianto leave when the rest of them had slipped out. Hopefully one of them would be able to tell her where the keys were. Even if Rhys wasn't going to be home to greet her, she had to admit that a hot bath sounded like bliss.

She was still thinking that when she walked into the main room and stopped short.

At first, she wasn't sure what had made her stop. Everything seemed normal enough, considering the place was empty. She could hear the low hum of machinery in the quiet, giving it a sense of peace that usually wasn't present. Despite that, something just didn't feel right.

_She could still feel the glove on her hand._

When she heard what sounded like a quiet moan come from Jack's office, Gwen didn't even hesitate. She quickly shook herself out of her reverie and hurried toward the small room. All she wanted was to get the keys to her car and go home, and the only way that was going to happen was if she could find Jack. Whatever he was doing, she doubted it was something that couldn't wait long enough for him to tell her where her keys were.

Of course, she hadn't expected to find Jack straddling Ianto on top of his desk. And she didn't even want to think about what the stopwatch clutched in Ianto's hand was being used for.

Looking back, Gwen couldn't help but feel proud that she managed to keep her reaction to a silent gape. At the moment, though, all she felt was a sense of complete surprise as she stared at the scene in front of her. Neither of the men was aware of her presence, something she was more than a little grateful for at that particular moment.

She was still staring, wide-eyed, as she slowly started backing out of the doorway. Unfortunately, she didn't notice Jack's jacket laying on the floor behind her, where it had apparently been haphazardly tossed, and she felt her leg slide out from under her as soon as she stepped on it.

Gwen couldn't help but let out a fairly loud curse as she hit the ground with a thud, and she felt her face turn red as she both Jack and Ianto reacted to the sudden announcement of her presence. The stopwatch Ianto was holding slid from his suddenly slack grip, landing with a quiet clunk on Jack's desk. Jack quickly pulled away, hastily pulling his pants back up as he made his way over to where she was sprawled. Ianto, on the other hand, turned bright red himself and partially slid behind Jack's desk as he hurried to redress.

Jack knelt down beside Gwen. "Are you alright?" he asked worriedly, running his eyes over her.

She started to reply, but she had to clear her throat several times before she could get her voice to work. "I'm fine," she finally managed to choke out, her own face turning redder as she refused to quite meet Jack's gaze. "Completely fine."

"I thought you left with the others," Ianto said, a slightly strangled tone in his voice as he finally stepped out from behind Jack's desk.

_The power was intoxicating. Like and death were within her grip._

Gwen made sure not to meet his gaze either. "Jack never gave my keys back," she said hurriedly, her words stumbling together. "I just need to get them if you don't mind, and then I'll be off, and the two of you can get back to … what you were doing. And I'll be going home now."

With an amused smile, Jack reached out and tilted her head up so that she had no choice but to look at him. "You're rambling," he said, a hint of laughter in his voice.

"Am I?" she asked, her voice a bit higher than normal.

"Yes," he said pointedly, "you are."

Even though his hand on her face kept her facing him, Gwen managed to drop her gaze so that she was focusing on his chest rather than his eyes. Jack sighed. "Ianto, take a look on my desk and see if you see Gwen's keys."

A few seconds later, Ianto walked over and handed the keys to Jack. Gwen brought her gaze up, and she quickly reached out to snatch them from his hand. Before she could, though, Jack jerked it out of her reach.

She frowned. "What was that for?"

Ianto raised an eyebrow at Jack's action, frowning just a bit. Then he looked back at Gwen, really looked at her, and his frown faded. Without saying a word, he knelt down beside Jack. She stared at them both.

An unreadable expression appeared on Jack's face as he stared at her. "Are you sure you're okay?"

_It felt like the glove was still on her hand._

She forced herself to smile. "I already said that I was, didn't I?" she asked, more than a little irritation edging into her tone. She took another grab at the keys in Jack's hand, but he once again pulled them away. "Are you going to give me my keys or aren't you?"

"Is Rhys waiting for you at home?"

Gwen blinked at that. "I don't see how that's any of your business," she finally snapped.

Jack just kept staring at her. "I'll take that as a no," he said, frowning. "Are you planning on spending the night with Owen?"

"And that sure as hell isn't any of your business," she shot back almost instantly. "But for your information, no, I'm not. He and Tosh went out for a couple of drinks."

"So you're going to be spending the night alone?"

Gwen rolled her eyes and grabbed for her car keys, this time succeeding in snatching them from Jack's grip. "I'm a big girl, Jack. I think I can handle spending the night home alone."

Pointedly ignoring Jack's face, this time because of anger instead of embarrassment, she pushed herself to her feet. She made it several feet away from the office before a quiet question from his made her stop.

"Can you still feel the glove?"

She glanced down at her right hand, suddenly aware that she was still clenching and unclenching it. Even though she knew it was all in her mind, she could feel the metal pressing against her skin. With a sigh, she reluctantly turned around. Ianto was still kneeling, but Jack had stood up. "It's all in my mind," she replied after a moment's pause. "I know that it's just my imagination."

"Is it?" Ianto asked, his gaze meeting Gwen's as Jack reached down and gave him a hand up off the ground. "We know that the glove formed some kind of psychic link with its user. Who's to say that you aren't still feeling the aftereffects of that?"

Jack gave her a small smile. "The man has a point," he said gently. "You really shouldn't be alone tonight, just in case."

Gwen stared at them for a minute before giving them her first real smile of the night. "Honestly, Jack, I'm fine," she said softly. "Besides, it's not like I really have much of a choice in the matter."

"Rhys?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.

She shook her head, finally giving in. "He's out of town for the week. Won't be back for another two days at least."

Jack frowned a little. "Owen?"

"Like I said, he's having drinks with Tosh," she replied. "Even if he wasn't, I'm not really in the mood for…"

"Sex?"

Gwen managed to add a hint of cheekiness to her grin. "It's Owen we're talking about," she pointed out. "That's not exactly the word I'd used."

Jack laughed outright at that, and even Ianto chuckled a bit.

_She could hear Suzie laughing._

"Before you even ask, I'm not going to bother Toshiko tonight either," Gwen added after a minute or so had passed. "She's out having fun, and I'm not going to ruin her night just because you don't want me to be alone."

"Then we've got ourselves a dilemma," Jack said with a frown.

Ianto, on the other hand, shrugged. "She could stay here," he suggested.

Jack's frown faded away as he pondered the idea, and it slowly turned into a grin as he turned his gaze over to Ianto for a second. "Ianto Jones, you are a genius."

"I try, sir."

Gwen just stared. "I don't want to ruin your night either."

Jack and Ianto shared a look. Both of them smiled, and without saying a word they both started forward. Jack grabbed Gwen's shoulders and turned her around before gripping her right arm. A few seconds later, Ianto took hold of her left one. Gwen frowned. "I don't have much of a choice in this, do I?"

"Not really," Jack replied cheerfully.

Gwen muttered a few choice words under her breath as they literally dragged her to the small couch, dropping down on it with her in between them. Despite her words, though, she didn't actively struggle. No matter how much she complained, she couldn't help but admit to herself that she felt more than a little relief at not having to spend the night alone.

_The glove felt surprisingly warm when she used it._

She started as Jack suddenly grabbed her right hand, stopping it from clenching again. "Don't think about anything that's happened," he said, making it more of an order than a suggestion.

"Easier said than done," she muttered.

Ianto gave her a bittersweet smile. "It's easier than you'd think."

Gwen glanced at him, a startled look on her face. Then she sighed in acquiescence. "Fine," she said, nodding. Then she paused for a minute and glanced between the two of them. "I'm still sorry for ruining your night."

Jack reached out and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "You didn't ruin anything," he said matter-of-factly.

"He's right," Ianto agreed after a moment. "Besides, some things are more important."

She stared at the two of them for a few seconds. Then, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of her mouth, Gwen leaned over and gently pressed her lips against Ianto's cheek. "Thank you," she whispered. Then she gave him a quick peck on the lips; at least, it was meant to be a quick peck. Once her lips pressed against his, though, she didn't want to pull away, and it wasn't until Jack cleared his throat and asked "Am I going to get thanked too?" that she drew away with a startled gasp.

Ianto was wearing a rather surprised look on his face.

She gave Ianto a hesitant smile before turning around and giving Jack a kiss as well. This time, she didn't even bother starting with his cheek. She pressed her lips against his, reluctantly pulling away when she felt Ianto shift beside her. "Thank you," she said, her eyes twinkling with mirth.

Jack slowly grinned. "I like your way of saying thanks," he said teasingly.

Gwen hesitantly glanced between the two of them, biting her lip slightly as she did so. "I know this isn't how the two of you wanted to spend the night," she said slowly. "And I really do want to make it up to you."

_The glove suddenly felt less heavy._

Jack's smile faded a bit. "Gwen," he said slowly. "Don't do anything you'll regret in the morning."

She shook her head. "For the last time, Jack, I'm not a child," Gwen said matter-of-factly. "I can make my own decisions."

Without another word, she turned around and gave Ianto another kiss, causing him to make out a startled sound. When she pulled away and shot Jack a pointed look, though, Ianto just coughed. "I believe her," he said dryly.

Jack kept staring, but there was a sparkle in his eyes that hadn't been there a moment before. "So do I."

_Suzie's smile faded._

"Trust me," Gwen said softly, "I know what I'm doing."

"And what about Rhys?" Jack asked, emphasizing the name just a little.

Gwen met his gaze without flinching. "I know what I'm doing," she repeated.

Jack stared at her for a minute without saying a word. Then he nodded and leaned in to kiss her. When he pulled away, he reached out and grabbed Ianto's collar, drawing the other man close enough to him to plant a quick kiss on his lips as well. When Ianto raised an eyebrow as she pulled away, Jack shrugged. "She knows what she's doing."

Rolling her eyes, Gwen turned slightly so she was facing Ianto. "Considering how I found the two of you," she said, her eyes twinkling, "I'm surprised to see you still wearing that tie."

Ianto coughed, and he shot a meaningful look in Jack's direction. "It wasn't my idea," he replied matter-of-factly.

"That's not how I remember it," Jack shot back, leaning over Gwen's shoulder so he could give Ianto another kiss. As they were kissing, Gwen's smile grew wider. Without saying a word, she reached out and undid Ianto's tie.

Ianto pulled away from Jack almost instantly. "Hey!"

"I thought it wasn't your idea, Ianto," she said cheekily. Then she tossed the small piece of cloth to the floor. "Besides, you're wearing too much as it is."

Jack laughed as he glanced back at Gwen. "I like your thinking," he said, grinning. Then he reached out and grabbed her shirt, carefully pulling the red material up over head. She lifted her arms up slightly, making it easier to slip the shirt off, and she tilted her head back to help get it off.

Gwen couldn't help but flinch, though, as that movement made her dull headache suddenly increase in intensity.

Ianto frowned, and Jack froze. Her shirt dropped from his hands, landing on her lap before sliding off to hit the floor. "You're still hurting from earlier," Jack said, the expression in his eyes turning unreadable almost instantly. "We shouldn't be doing this. You should be resting."

Gwen met his gaze head-on. "Why don't you let me be the judge of that?" she asked. Then, giving him an almost daring look, she reached out and began unbuttoning his shirt.

Jack stared at her for another second before giving her an almost imperceptible nod. She just shook her head. "You could make yourself useful, you know," she told Jack, a hint of exasperation in her voice..

His mouth twitched. "Like this?" he asked, placing one hand on the fastener of her bra. Then he placed the other hand on her crotch. "Or this?"

Gwen quirked an eyebrow. "Do I have to choose?"

Jack grinned at her before letting his gaze drift over her shoulder and focus on Ianto. "Help out, will you?"

Ianto shook his head and carefully wrapped his arms around Gwen, reaching down to unbutton her pants. He lifted Jack's wandering hand up, drawing a protest from Gwen. "I suppose you wanted to leave them on?" he asked wryly, sliding her pants down off her thighs with one hand before letting Jack's go.

Gwen still had a pout on her face, and Ianto reached out to turn her head so she was face him. He gave her a gentle kiss, smiling as he pulled away. Then he went back to slipping her pants down her legs, sliding them off her ankles.

"My turn," Jack said. He kissed her, resting on his hands on each of her shoulders. After a few seconds, he moved his hands off of her and began undoing his own pants. He didn't stop kissing her, though.

Behind them, Ianto shook his head and began unbuttoning his own shirt.

Gwen pulled away for a second and took a deep breath, her smile even wider than it had been as she watched Jack fumbling with his clothes. Then she pressed her lips against his again, her own hands reaching out to help him get out of his pants.

After a few seconds, Jack broke off the kiss. "You're not helping," he managed to choke out.

"Shut up," Gwen whispered. She brought one of her hands up behind Jack's head, pushing his lips back against hers. Her other hand stayed near his groin.

She started slightly when Ianto suddenly started kissing her shoulder, one of his hands stroking her neck while the other caressed her side, right above her hip. Gwen twisted a little, making it easier for Ianto's hands to reach the front of her body.

Gwen let out a soft moan as Jack deepened his kiss, while Ianto's lips moved from her shoulder down to her breasts. Jack let out a moan of his own when she took him into her hand, letting her know that her attentions were appreciated.

She finally pulled away from Jack, her movement causing Ianto pull away slightly as well. Gwen twisted her head slightly so she could face him. "Feel free to cut in," she said lightly.

Without saying a word, he kissed her. A hint of a grin played on his lips as he pulled away a few seconds later. "Is this what you had in mind?"

"Close enough," Gwen managed to choke out. Ianto's grin grew even wider as he leaned in to begin kissing her again.

As he did, Gwen felt one of Jack's hands slide across her stomach. A quiet moan from Ianto let her know exactly where Jack's hand had been headed. Their skin felt like fire against hers, and she finally felt warm.

"I think we're going to have to find a better way to do this," Gwen said wryly, her face flushed as she finally pulled away. "I'm not sure this couch was exactly built for three."

Ianto nodded. "Not comfortably, at least," he agreed.

Jack just grinned. "Trust me," he said, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "We can improvise."

----------

When Gwen woke up the next morning, her head resting on Jack's chest as Ianto's arm wrapped around her, she couldn't feel the glove weighing down her hand anymore. She didn't feel the yearning for its power, and she didn't see Suzie's face every time she closed her eyes.

But Gwen could still hear her voice.

All things considering, she couldn't help but think that maybe she deserved it. She had promised herself when she took the job with Torchwood that it wouldn't control her life. She'd still keep her morals, her conscience, her humanity. She wouldn't betray herself. She wouldn't lose the things that made her Gwen Cooper.

_There you go, replace me completely._

Jack shifted, letting out a soft sigh as he moved. For the first time, she noticed that Ianto's other arm—the one not wrapped around her—was resting beside Jack's head, his fingers brushing against Jack's hair. She could hear Suzie laughing in her head.

Gwen didn't even know who she was anymore.


End file.
